#icha icha violence

[hiddenflowerdesi]

I am unstoppable now

[ancharan]

hiii! i'm sorry, but i can't seem to find your icha icha violence playlist :( is it private, by any chance, or is that an error on my side?

It shouldn't be! Try this link:

If that doesn't work, this is the song list:

[wind-becomes-lightning]

hes been through some shit

[kakairu-rocks]

It is time for us to share with you the masterpost of all the creations made for the KakaIru Maze Challenge 2024: Alternate Universe!

Before we present the list, we would like to share a few fun stats with you!

There is a total of 47 works - 21 wonderful fics, and 26 amazing works of art!

The total word count of every fic combined is 98 380 words!

Five people completed the challenge, and managed to reunite Kakashi with Iruka! 

We also have a SURPRISE!

If you’ve participated in this event before, you might have noticed that in previous years, we’ve made an event fic, and released it in parts throughout different stages of the event… But this year, we decided to keep the entire thing a secret right through to the very end; and we would like to present to you, this year’s fic… 

The Real World, in which Kakashi & Iruka go on a massive world-hopping adventure! (Please remember to check the tags before reading!)

And now for the list! Everyone is so talented, and did such an amazing job with their creations 😍 Please take a look and give these creators some love! 

FICS:

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust - SockWritingThings

Rating: Not Rated, CW: suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, word count: 1k

2. The Mission That Changed Everything - @paxohana

Rating: Explicit, CW: graphic depictions of violence, word count: 3.3k

3. How to Win Your Tutor Over - @paxohana

Rating: Teen, CW: none, word count: 1.7k

4. Wayward Son - By_The_Rivers_Dark

Rating: Mature, CW: none, word count: 5.8k

5. Helping Hands Across Time - @mtnikolle

Rating: Gen, CW: ghosts, word count: 1.5k

6. The Rage of the Whirlpools - @a-chaos-of-angels

Rating: Teen, CW: none, word count: 1.2k

7. Feeling the Music - @kakairu-shrine

Rating: Gen, CW: none, word count: 2k

8. How to fall in love in one day - By_The_Rivers_Dark

Rating: Mature, CW: none, word count: 34.1k

9. Making New Connections - @mtnikolle

Rating: Gen, CW: none, word count: 1.6k

10. Leave It All Behind - @kakairu-shrine

Rating: Teen, CW: graphic depictions of violence, word count: 3.1k

11. Endless - @mtnikolle

Rating: Teen, CW: temporary character death, word count: 805

12. It’s Not the Walking, It’s the Rising - @borealwrites

Rating: Gen, CW: none, word count: 1.6k

13. Favourite Places - @mtnikolle

Rating: Gen, CW: none, word count: 841

14. The place You Need To Reach - @borealwrites

Rating: Teen, CW: none, word count: 4.1k

15. There’s a niche in his chest where a heart would fit perfectly - @borealwrites

Rating: Gen, CW: none, word count: 940

16. You’ll Strew Some Sage and Lillies - @borealwrites

Rating: Teen, CW: none, word count: 4.1k

17. On the Run - @paxohana

Rating: Explicit, CW: none, word count: 3k

18. Welcome to the Family - @kakairu-shrine

Rating: Teen, CW: none, word count: 3.3k

19. In the mind of another - @hkandiu

Rating: Gen, CW: none, word count: 12.5k

20. Kakashi’s adventure in the multiverse. w/ 2 art (1st, 2nd) - @justanotherfoolhere

Rating: Teen, CW: none, word count: 9.8k

ART: 

Akatsuki AU - @smallangstdemon

Konoha Con - IndianaJ

Apocalypse - @smallangstdemon

Assassin’s Creed - @kakairu-shrine

Angels & Demons - @microrockets

Royalty (3 pieces) - @smallangstdemon

Missing Nin - @teacher-tango

Roommates - @paperskeleton01

Futuristic - @microrockets

Me Tarzan, You Jane - IndianaJ

Magic AU - @paperskeleton01

Angels & Demons (CW: implied MCD) - @smallangstdemon

Criminal AU - @that1valiantcougar

Rogue Nin - @paperskeleton01

Ippon - IndianaJ

Chef AU - @paperskeleton01

BOTW AU w/ fic - @that1valiantcougar

Fantasy AU - @paperskeleton01

Iruka-dono - IndianaJ

Supernatural AU - @that1valiantcougar

Pirate AU - @teacher-tango

Fantasy AU - @that1valiantcougar

Icha Icha Betrayal - IndianaJ

ANBU Iruka - @that1valiantcougar

If we have missed you, or made a mistake somewhere (we did triple check everything, but Tumblr still likes to pull a fast one on us sometimes), please let us know ASAP so we can fix the problem!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated, and to everyone who has supported us! Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to run the Maze Challenge, so we really appreciate your involvement 🥰

We would love for you to check out the Kakairu Rocks forum, as well, where we’ve got so many other amazing KakaIru activities, and things to see!

Thank you for joining us on this adventure! We hope to see you around!

[kleftiko]

❦ MISTY

cw: mature, some violence, reader is a stripper

@kakashisboothangg @factae here’s part 1 ;)

PART 2 | MASTERLIST

kakashi didn’t mind going to the strip club. he was pretty shameless reading his icha icha books in public anyway, so it wasn’t a stretch that he and guy occasionally had a couple drinks around some dancers.

he said hi to the waitress when he entered, who gave him a smile and got his usual ipa for him as he sat down. the days he went to the strip club with guy, he arrived a bit earlier to see his favourite dancer.

and when he says favourite, it’s because every time she comes out for her solo dance, and sees him in the front row, her face flashes with a nasty scowl and a roll of her eyes that he can only see because he’s so close.

upon their first meeting, kakashi was a little too drunk and apparently spilled something that he can’t remember on her. since then, he has yet to apologize because he honestly thought your scowl and scrunched up nose was the cutest thing he’d every seen.

so when the stage lights changed colour, the music started up, and you came out, he hid his smile behind a sip of his beer as you narrowed your eyes at him.

despite the multiple eyes on you when you danced, your focus always found your way back to his.

he knew you liked him. if you really, truly, hated him, you’d have him kicked out of the club. yet here he was, front row to your dance, heterochromatic eyes following your body wherever you went.

the smoke crept along the bottom of the stage to shroud you in mystery, it added a little element of surprise when you appeared through the mist, eyes locked with kakashi’s and an expression of disinterest as you took the cash he was holding out. he was so entranced by you that he didn’t even notice the dark bags under your eyes.

then you were gone. the mist subsided and the music faded out into the regular ambiance. this was the time guy usually showed up, and thoughts of you were put in the back of his mind, not forgotten, but hoping.

he didn’t drink a lot that night, he got guy a cab cause of his stumbling and decided to walk home. kakashi was never too concerned with the area being dark, he could easily take care of himself, but his shinobu instincts always kept an ear out for anyone else in trouble.

so when he heard a small commotion around the corner, it was second nature to butt his head in.

but seeing you, shaking slightly with a knife clutched in your hand held out towards two guys; one shuffling through your bag haphazardly thrown away from you and the other towering over you, it only took a second for him to appear behind them.

the first guy he grabbed was the one intimidating you, with a hold of his collar and the advantage of a surprise, he easily took him down, his head eliciting a sickening crack against the pavement.

it was a bit gruesome, and it caught the attention of the one with his hand in your bag, who then attempted to grab your things and run. with kakashi’s fist still clutching the other’s collar, he couldn’t go after him, so with the throw of a couple of kunai’s that threateningly pierced the perpetrators ear and struck the wall, the guy was dropping your things and running off, the one on the ground quickly following as he cradled his bleeding head.

with them out of sight, kakashi grabbed your bag and moved back to your shaking body. upon closer inspection, he noticed sniffles and tears coming from your shaking figure.

“hey,” he said in an attempt to be soft, but it sounded a bit awkward. “they’re gone now, you don’t need to be scared.”

you flashed him a murderous look.

“i’m not scared,” you bit and grabbed your bag from his hands. “i’m exhausted. shit—i know not to come this way, i just wanted to get home.”

you slumped over your bag, and kakashi could hear your sniffles. he squatted down to be level with you.

“go away, i’m fine now.” you mumbled.

“i’d rather not leave you crying and alone in an alley.”

“i would like nothing more.” you sniffled.

kakashi sighed, placing a soft hand on your arm and, surprisingly, you didn’t flinch away.

“at least let me walk you home, i know you hate me, but you’re in no shape to be alone right now.”

to his surprise, you nodded. not only that, but you held out your hand for him to help you up, which he abided by. as he pulled you to your feet, he was about to crack a joke when you fell limp.

“woah!” his arms caught you and held you tight against him, “easy, girl.”

he laughed a bit to himself, but it quickly died out when you didn’t say anything back. upon closer inspection, kakashi saw your eyes closed, soft snores escaped your lips and he realized you passed out.

the only thing he could think to do was pick you up and take you home.

you immediately snuggled into his arms, completely oblivious that you fell asleep in the middle of an alley. and it was only after a couple blocks that kakashi remembered that he doesn’t know where you live.

[konohagakurekakashi]

Rumor has it makeout violence is going out of print lol.

Misinformation doing the rounds I see.

A movie on Icha Icha Violence is currently in production with Koyuki Kazahana reprising her role as Junko. No publisher worth their salt would pull a masterpiece from the shelves on the off chance the movie does well (which it will), with more booksales as an end result.

[moonbiscuitsims]

Icha Icha Romantic Novel Series (Naruto) Sims 4 CC UPDATED Improved textures and descriptions

Super weird download I know. Includes: Icha Icha Paradise, Icha Icha Violence and Icha Icha Tactics.

Made great improvements to the textures no longer pixelated images. Also made the descriptions of each book better, and added the Japanese titles. The pages use Japanese placeholder text textures💜

The books give flirty buffs the same as the Romance Novels and are Base game compatible. I did think about putting the cover on the back like the originals but figured it would look worse when placed down or when they hold it to start reading and decided against it. Only for perv ninja sensei. Remember to keep these reads away from your children sims!!😅

See nicer pics of my Cyberpunk AU version of team Minato here 💜 (☆▽☆)

DOWNLOAD (Google Drive)

[scarecrow-in-a-hatake]

-songbird returns with a small scrap of paper and won't leave until it gets some treats-

"Icha icha violence pg. 112-130 🖤~

-🎶"

This is harassment. I'm the Hokage. I shouldn't have to— Sweet Sage, why am I putting up with this?

[caninekakashi]

i need to write a fic where obgai are working tirelessly to rizz up kakashi and he keeps ruining every moment they try to set up by seeing the situation and going "omg.... its just like in chapter 8 of icha icha violence-"

[happyocelot]

The Moon Sure Is Beautiful Tonight

My entry for NaruHina Month 2022 Day 6: Blank Period! This is a gift for BornOnTheBreakOfDawn, who has been so kind and encouraging to me. Additionally, I would like to dedicate this to Katarina-hime, who passed on in July.

I hope you all liked this! Tell me what you think! :)

@nh2022

Summary: Technically, Hinata was a chuunin. Technically, Naruto was still a genin. Technically, genin were supposed to be led by jounin, forming groups of three, barring special occasions. Technically, Hinata wasn't supposed to be Naruto's squad captain at all for this mission. But technically, Kakashi was Hokage, and technically he could play Cupid for them.

Wakame blinked at her. She blinked back, eyes shining like the sea at sunset –

Slurp, slurp, slurp –

She'd always been there for him, looking at him (he noticed...sometimes). Looking for him (he didn't notice that...ever). Looking out for him (she did that, a few times, times when he never expected her to, and it was like an earthquake knocking him off his feet). Believing in him when no one else did –

"Ahhh, a good miso ramen always hits the spot after a hard mission, doesn't it?"

He just didn't realize it. Until now. Because he was the stupidest ninja Tree Branch Village had ever nurtured.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei, Gama-chan doesn't have any spare change, so could..."

Nothing made sense to him. Until that moment. It didn't click, the reason she looked away when he looked at her. Why she covered her smile in her sleeve. Why she didn't want him to disappear. Why she wasn't afraid to die, if it meant she could protect him.

Because –

"Kakashi-sensei?" A hand invaded his vision, marring the perfection of the final lines of Icha Icha Violence. "Are you listening? Kakashi-sensei? Do you have any spare change? Because – "

Because –

"Because Hinata ate a lot last time we were here – "

– she –

" – and I ended up paying a huge tab and now I don't have any left – "

– loved –

"So could you help me out?"

– him.

Kakashi finally looked up. Catharsis.

His cute little student was staring at him quizzically, blonde eyebrows scrunched up.

Oh, right. Spare change. Naruto didn't have any.

Because of Hinata.

Because of Hinata.

He smiled, eyes crinkling into happy crescents.

Yes. Sensei would help.

***

His cute little student really needed a girlfriend, after all. Just like Wakame.

Technically, Hinata was a chuunin. Technically, Naruto was still a genin. Technically, genin were supposed to be led by jounin, forming groups of three, barring special occasions.

Technically, Hinata wasn't supposed to be Naruto's squad captain at all for this mission. But technically, Kakashi was the Hokage, and he could declare things special occasions even when they weren't!

He shot the pair – the pair – his kindest eye-smile. Naruto once again quirked his eyebrows suspiciously, knowing that when Kakashi eye-smiled like that, it meant he was up to something. He subtly shifted his position, stepping in front of Hinata like a protective boyfriend. He probably didn't even realize he'd done it. It was, in all likelihood, instinct.

Kakashi barely stifled his delighted giggle.

Now it was Hinata who gave him a quizzical look.

"Good morning, you two!" the Rokudaime chirped.

"It's the middle of the night," Naruto protested.

"Right! Night!"

Her eyes had been gleaming like the sea at sunset. Sunset was followed by nightfall, and nightfall was when the moon came out, and when the moon came out, people enjoyed walking together, and sometimes they enjoyed holding hands, and sometimes they enjoyed walking together and holding hands, and sometimes they enjoyed walking together and holding hands and hiding in bushes so that no one could see them –

"Kakashi-sensei?" Hinata asked.

The moon sure is beautiful tonight.

He had a hunch. They just needed to spend time. Together. Walking along in the moonlight. Together. If they did that, they would get...together. He just had a hunch.

"I want you two to be together."

They stared.

Oh. He said that out loud.

"For a mission. There have been disturbances near the Aun Gates the past few nights," he clarified. "Hinata's Byakugan provides wide visual range, and Naruto is a natural sensor. If you pool your resources together, you could definitely find the source of the disturbance."

"But Kakashi-sensei, what about Izumo nii-chan and Kotetsu nii-chan? Isn't this their job?"

He sighed. Trust Naruto to magically develop common sense at the most inopportune times.

"Izumo is busy."

Naruto sighed audibly. Kakashi flexed his fingers, eye-smiling again at the chance to tell his cute little student the absolutely inane story.

"He was helping an old lady cross the street, and she fell, and her cane broke, so he went to buy her a new cane, but all the stores in Konoha were out of stock, so he went to Tanzaku Town to get one, and Tanzaku Town has a curfew, and Izumo misplaced the new cane he bought right before the curfew, and now Tanzaku Town's authorities have waylaid him..."

Now it was Hinata. Hinata staring at him like he'd dropped onto earth for a pleasant jaunt, all the way from Jupiter.

"...because they suspect that he's a criminal, and he just sent me word by hawk asking me to vouch for him, so I did, but by the time the letter reached the leader of Tanzaku Town, it was already 10 pm and like I said, Tanzaku Town has a curfew, so he won't be able to make it back until morning."

"That sounds like such bullshit, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto protested. "At least tell me that Kotetsu nii-chan just got scratched by a cat and needs to go to a hospital."

Kakashi's eyes sparkled.

"Kotetsu was attacked by a herd of stampeding ostriches. Thankfully, he escaped, but then he tripped and a pole fell on him, and then it started raining and thundering, and he got struck by lightning because the metal pole fell on him, but he escaped that without injuries too, but his hair got all burned and now he's waiting for an appointment with the barbershop so that he can fix his hair – "

"Kakashi-sensei, what the fu – "

"And that's why I need you two to complete this mission! It's a special occasion!"

"This makes no sense!" Naruto burst out. "What do you think, Hinata?"

"Um – "

"Kakashi-sensei always says things like this. 'A black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way, that's why I'm ten hours late to our meeting.' 'There was this old lady, and she needed a piggyback ride, and then she turned out to be a missing-nin, and she possessed a rare and dangerous kekkei genkai and I had to use my Sharingan and I was at the hospital for the past sixteen hours, that's why I wasn't at Ichiraku last night.' 'Something exploded in Sunagakure, maybe it was a gas tank, or maybe it was a gardening experiment gone wrong, but I need to ask Gaara-kun about it, so I can't pay for your ramen, now bye!' And then he just runs away!"

"Um – "

"C'mon, Hinata, you and Team 8 were with him on that one mission to the Land of Hot Springs, did he pull anything like this back then?"

"Actually, Kakashi-sensei was very – "

Kakashi was saved, blessedly saved, when someone came bursting into his office screaming.

"HOKAGE-SAMA, THE LEADER OF TANZAKU TOWN HAS THREATENED TO BOIL IZUMO-SAN IN OIL. WHAT SHOULD WE DO?"

"Wait, it was all true?"

"Kakashi-sensei, is Izumo-san all ri – "

Kakashi bounded across his office forcefully in a move that would have done Guy proud.

"Hinata, you're Naruto's captain! The Aun Gates are all yours! I'm counting on you to work together! Report back to me on what you find!"

He fled the scene with his ever-so-convenient screaming messenger, crossing his fingers in hope.

The moon was beautiful, and Naruto and Hinata needed to walk together. And hold hands. And hide in the bushes so that no one could see them. And...

Oh, and Izumo needed to be rescued from being boiled in oil. There was that too.

***

Hinata glanced at Naruto from the corner of her eye. Usually, he was bright and gold and sparkling, eyes lighting up like the forever and ever of the blue sky, smile lighting up like the sun billions of years ago, newly born.

Now, moonlight soaked through his arms, his face, his broad chest. It sliced through the trees, casting leaf-shaped shadows on the profile of his face, pooling on his warm hands, turning them as pale as plaster of paris.

Usually, he was bright and gold and sparkling, so fiery that he was hard to look at (so she would look away whenever he looked at her, hiding her smile in her sleeve). But tonight...tonight...

As if in a trance, her hand moved on its own, inching closer and closer –

"Hinata? What's wrong?" His hand mirrored hers, a long finger poking at his left cheek. "Is there something on my face?"

She stared a little more at the little indent his index finger made in the smoothness of his face. Then she blinked.

"Ah, no, it's nothing, Naruto-kun." She shook her head, distracting herself by activating her Byakugan, letting the excess blood in her cheeks surge into the veins near her eyes. The bushes near the Aun Gates rustled. She turned her sharp eyes towards the disturbance, heartbeat chasing heartbeat, thumping furiously –

The bushes rustled still more. Hinata raised her hands, battle-ready –

"Meow?"

Golden eyes and silver whiskers glinted in the dark, and her heartbeats stopped chasing each other, tripping and falling flat.

She sighed. A cat. The disturbance that Kakashi-sensei wanted them to check out. It was a cat.

Naruto cursed. "It's that stupid one again, ya know? Tora? The one that beat me up when I was a kid."

"What?"

Naruto blinked at her, like he had simply been discussing the weather. "It's...Tora?"

"No, I mean..." She hid her face in her sleeve again. Whenever he said something funny, silly, or cute, she always had to do this. Cover her face in her sleeve.

Fortunately, he frequently said a lot of funny things. Last week, it was that he once threw a teapot at Kakashi-sensei, to see what was under that mask, and the week before that, it was how he'd played a prank on Iruka-sensei during their Academy days, putting spicy hot pepper sprinkles into his coffee, sneaking into the teachers' break room to do so. He'd made her pinky swear that day to never tell Iruka-sensei about it, ever. She obliged, gladly, and before he could change his mind (though a scolding part of her heart told her that he would never go back on his word) –

– before he could change his mind about it, she reached out like a lightning flash and grabbed his pinky with hers, her heartbeat thudding in her ears like a thunderclap. She'd keep that secret, even if she had to eat a thousand needles and chop off her little finger.

And now, he was claiming that he'd gotten beaten up by a cat.

She ducked her head, to better disguise the little seisms of laughter that he pushed her into. It wasn't fair, she thought. Naruto had to work so hard to master every tiny facet of being a ninja, with his blood and sweat soaking the earth, whether it was Shadow Clone Jutsu or Rasengan or any number of things. But with no effort, not even trying, not even consciously meaning to, he was able to make her heartbeats chase her heartbeats and make those heartbeats thunder in her ears. Week after week, he made her hide her face in her sleeve because his smile kept making her smile, kept changing her, kept giving her this intense feeling in her heart.

And all because he said that he'd gotten beaten up. By a cat.

So she paused for a nanosecond that lasted an eternity, and then she lifted up her eyes, cautiously, cautiously, rewarded with the sight of the moonlight casting leaf-shaped shadows on his face.

For some reason, Hinata was very grateful to Kakashi-sensei. He could have put them on different missions, or worse, he could have put them on the same mission but with several other people, or he could have assigned them a mission on a cloudy night when she couldn't see his face.

But this night, he had made Hinata the captain of this mission, just Hinata and no one else, and the moon rays pooled everywhere, casting the golden young man in the most pristine of light. Usually, he was so fiery that it was hard to look at him.

But not tonight.

***

Naruto had gotten beaten up by a cat. Again.

If Kakashi wasn't mistaken, it was the very same dear little kitten that had pounced on Naruto, battering him brutally with its hind legs, slicing through his face with the same ease as a knife would slice through butter.

Madam Shijimi's little feline friend. They had to catch him, hadn't they? Naruto had whined about that mission in front of Iruka-sensei, hadn't he? He'd whined in front of the Hokage, hadn't he? He'd inadvertently sent them off on that fateful improperly classified C-ranked mission that had led to them freeing an entire country, hadn't he?

"Kakashi-sensei."

Ahhh, how Kakashi knew that tone from a bygone era. Back when Naruto had accused him of having an "ossan smell" during the bell test, back when he'd bordered on rupturing Kakashi's eardrums by bellowing into his walkie-talkie. Back when his cute little student hadn't a clue how to keep house and home, drinking expired milk and getting bound to the porcelain bathroom god for the rest of the day. It had seemed like Kakashi had to restrain Naruto by the collar every other hour and dangle shiny ramen in front of his face to get him to focus on anything related to those D-rank genin missions they'd been assigned.

Ah, good times. Kakashi smiled nostalgically. He really did love those guys, no matter how much of a handful they'd been.

Naruto always looked so adorable, no matter his age, twelve or eighteen going on nineteen. Still the same. Never change (not that Kakashi ever wanted him to). Still getting beaten up by cats. It looked like a piano had fallen on Naruto, his poor scratched-up face with its purpling bruises and the twigs stuck in his hair.

Ahhh, looked like that bygone era wasn't actually bygone. He braced himself for the explosion.

"Kakashi-sensei! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT MISSION?"

And there it was. The explosion.

"Do you know what I went through? Do you? That DEMON ripped my face open and now I look HIDEOUS and – "

"I don't think you look hideous."

Kakashi whipped his head towards Hinata so fast he got vertigo.

"Don't joke around like that, Hinata," Naruto said with a pout. "Of course I look hideo – "

Hinata's hand moved in slow, slow, super slow motion. Kakashi watched, etching the whole scene in his mind even though he no longer had the Sharingan.

What was she going to –

Her pinky reached out to grab Naruto's, still in that slow, slow, super slow motion.

"You don't look hideous. You've never looked hideous, Naruto-kun. Ever."

Hinata's voice was calm and firm and steady, all characteristic nervousness dissipating as she fixed Naruto with her pale, pale eyes, just like the moon.

Rose spread from Naruto's veins and blossomed fully on his cheeks as she reached into her pocket and produced a tub of ointment. Like the one she'd given him. From back then.

Ahhh, truly there was no such thing as a bygone era.

Kakashi watched, his heartbeat chasing his heartbeats, as Hinata gently rubbed Naruto's reddening scratches and purpling bruises with the ointment, her fingers making small indents on the smoothness of his face.

His loudmouthed student was, for once, speechless.

And the Rokudaime barely restrained himself from letting out an extremely dignified giggle.

His plan was working.

***

Since bygone times weren't actually bygone, and Naruto had decided to whine about his cat-catching mission again, Kakashi had decided in his infinite wisdom as the Hokage that really, what he truly needed to spice things up was to send both Naruto and Hinata on the most difficult A-ranked mission possible. Technically, Hinata was a chuunin, and technically, Naruto was a genin, and technically these types of missions required a jounin leader with a cell of three or more ninja, who should definitely not be genin, but special occasions were special occasions!

There was nothing like the thrill of battle to bring two sweet lovers together, just as it happened in Icha Icha Violence. At least, he hoped. Honestly, there were no threats on the planet that were above Naruto's skill level now. He was the most overqualified genin in existence.

Kakashi could only cross his fingers, distract himself with his favorite novels, and pray to the god of love to strike.

Naruto glanced at Hinata from the corner of his eye. He didn't get to go on missions with her that much. They were on different teams, hers specializing in tracking and his in absolute chaos, as Kakashi-sensei liked to joke. If they were on the same mission, usually it would end up with him getting into some sort of foolish competitive jockeying with Kiba, like deer locking antlers, while Shino fumed because they didn't think to consult him on whether they should set up camp at 7 pm or 7:10 pm (no...that had actually happened once – Shino was the type to sulk over anything).

But Hinata...Hinata was different. She'd walk along behind the rest of the group when they were traveling together, giving off this strange, strange energy, like she was ecstatic and jittery and nervous and filled with sheer terror, all at once. She mystified him, made no sense to him at all. Still, she was the one who –

"Um, Naruto-kun?"

He went from glancing at her from the corner of his eye to facing her head-on.

She was the one who –

"I've always wanted to say this..."

He gulped. She was shy and dark and weird, a regular invisible girl. She looked away when he looked at her. It was easy to miss her. But right now, he was facing her head-on, and were her eyes usually as white as the sea spray? The boat they were on was swaying gently with the swell of the waves, and for a moment, Naruto's whole world tilted sideways.

He held his breath. What did she want to say?

It was important. He knew it was, from the strange energy emanating from her, like she was ecstatic and jittery and nervous and filled with sheer terror, all at once, the way she turned her eyes first to face him, and then to face the sun, and then the deep, deep sea. She was doing that thing again. Looking away when he looked at her, but she was impossible to miss this time, with her eyes as white as sea spray and with the sunlight bouncing off her long, dark hair and with that small, small smile.

He was still holding his breath.

"But...I...um, like...being on missions."

He blinked.

"With you. I like being on missions. With you."

Warmth spread from his chest and into his stomach, like the biggest bowl of miso ramen after a long, hard mission.

"Yeah?"

Hinata nodded. "It...ah. It makes me really happy to spend time with you."

He grinned at her. "Yeah? You're pretty fun to hang out with too, ya know?"

She looked away again, staring into the chop waves, the strange energy dissipating into something a bit less spiky and agitated, something calmer and heartbeat-slowing.

He puffed out his chest. She was happy. To go on missions with him. Spend time with him.

He had friends, true, friends who obviously liked spending time with him. They had other ways of expressing this. Sakura-chan with her friendly arm punches and Sasuke with his eye rolls. Shikamaru smirking and shaking his head at Naruto's antics, saying that he was troublesome. Kiba bickering with him and Shino sulking.

Even so. This was something only Hinata would ever say. She was different. It was true. She was easy to miss. Unless he looked at her, first from the corner of his eye, then head-on, at her sea spray eyes and her long, dark hair. Then she was as bold and defined as a thunderclap –

If she was weird, he never wanted her to be normal.

A few minutes later, he blinked again.

She'd always wanted to say that to him?

***

Kakashi waited with bated breath as he turned on his walkie-talkie. "Tenzo? What are the two up to?"

Static morphed into an exhausted, miserable voice. "They're fine. Talking to each other over at the corner of the boat."

"Did they hug?"

"No."

"Kiss?"

"No."

"Did they – "

"For heaven's sake. They're on an official A-ranked mission to escort me. Why would they do anything like that in public?"

"On page 56 of Icha Icha Violence, on which I've based this mission, Wakame realizes his true feelings for – "

"Wakame?"

"The Icha Icha protagonists all have ramen topping names," Kakashi said dreamily.

"What is wrong with you, Kakashi-senpai?"

"Drop the senpai. And is it wrong for me to wish that my cute little student would find happiness? She's the one who believed in him first, and he's the one who believed in her first, so I feel that it's my duty to help things along – "

"You are so weird, Kakashi-senpai. One day, you'll be kicked by a horse for meddling like this."

"I've cut lightning in half, Tenzo. I can handle being kicked by a horse," Kakashi chirped.

"...I demand a pay raise. You've invented a bogus A-rank, and you're putting me in the line of fire."

"Done. Just...help them along, and you'll be recompensated nicely."

Being an Anbu sucked, in Yamato's opinion.

He used to have an actual, meaningful job, one that involved restraining the Kyuubi. One that involved carrying out S-ranked missions for the sake of the village. One that involved chaperoning the most unstable team he had ever clapped eyes on. Now the war was over and he found himself moonlighting as a matchmaker, of all things, because according to their dear new Hokage, the hero of the war needed not a gentle push, but a hard shove in the right direction.

Masking his chakra signature so that Naruto and Hinata didn't find him out was draining. Disguising himself as a wealthy merchant and making polite small talk was mind-numbing. And now, Kakashi-senpai expected him to up the ante to ludicrous proportions because of something that he'd read in those godforsaken Icha Icha novels.

The small, choppy waves suddenly swelled to tsunami proportions and Yamato found himself hoping against hope that the sea monsters on this part of the coastline weren't too big.

"IT'S A SQUID!"

Yamato resisted the urge to slam his head against the wooden planks and pass out.

"It's an octopus. And – hey, stop counting them! You can tell by looking!"

***

He hated this A-rank mission. Kakashi-senpai was really willing to put him in the line of fire like this.

He hated bring manhandled like he was five years old, swept up by an octopus tentacle. He hated the saltwater and the briny ocean air, cracking his lips and burning his eyes.

He hated Naruto's new moves that he'd learned during the war, some kind of monstrous giant bijuu Rasengan pulsing with dense black energy, blasting the enormous sq – octopus – in the face and blistering Yamato's poor skin.

He hated how the giant sq – octopus still wasn't finished off, as persistent as Kakuzu had been during that awful mission from last year.

He hated how just as Kakashi-senpai had dealt the finishing blow to Kakuzu with his Raikiri, Hyuuga Hinata was the one to do so to this octopus, finishing it off with a deadly-looking combo that she had also developed during the war, a combo of Twin Lion Fists and Sixty-Four Palms.

Most of all, he hated how he finally swam back to the boat, spluttering out mouthfuls of water, only to be greeted by Naruto not paying attention to him at all, focused on Hinata, just Hinata, only Hinata, like Yamato hadn't just been almost eaten by a giant sq – octopus and had barely escaped with his life.

Okay, he could have finished it off with his Wood Release if it was a real, full-blown emergency and he had no choice but to blow his cover (Kakashi-senpai wasn't so cruel as to put him on a mission that much out of his league, despite his penchant for making Yamato suffer).

But it was the principle of the matter. The principle.

Naruto was staring at Hinata like he had never seen her before, sky blue eyes blown out, pupils wide in wonder. Hinata was sopping wet, her traveling cloak heavy with ocean water, bangs plastered to her forehead.

"HINATA!" the fool yelled, almost rupturing poor Yamato's eardrums.

"That was so awesome. I didn't know you invented a new technique!"

"Um – "

"We need to combine it with all my new Rasengan variants!"

"Um – "

"We would be the BEST team, dontcha think, uhhh – " Naruto turned around, staring blankly at Yamato like he had only just registered his presence.

"Tenji," he said, spitting out his pseudonym like it was poison.

"Yeah, Tenji-san! Hinata and me, we would be the BEST, most AWESOME team that Konoha had ever seen, right? Like if the moon were to ever crash into the earth or something – "

He really, really wished he could let loose, slam his head against a wooden plank, and pass out –

" – Hinata 'n' me, we could save the world! With a combo like that! Right, Hinata?"

Hinata blinked a few times, clearly trying desperately to keep up with Naruto's rapid-fire machine gun fast questions. Then her face bloomed with a quiet, quiet smile.

"Right."

Naruto beamed, reaching out and grabbing her pinky with his, as if they were schoolchildren, picky swearing to keep a secret, or else they would each swallow a thousand needles and chop their little fingers off.

"Ya know, Hinata, I like being on missions with you too."

Hinata's blooming smile grew bigger and bigger, the widest Yamato had ever seen her smile.

She squeezed Naruto's pinky as tight as she could.

They were supposed to be on an A-rank mission. To "escort" him. They were in public.

Why?

Why?

***

Okay, they didn't hug. Or kiss. Or hold hands and walk in the moonlight. Or hide in the bushes where no one could see. But Hinata did, apparently, enjoy rubbing cream on Naruto's face. And she didn't think he was hideous (ever).

And according to Yamato, Naruto had used a Tailed Beast Ball-Rasengan combo on a giant octopus, Hinata had used a Twin Lion Fists-Sixty-Four Palms combo on a giant octopus, and after the giant octopus had been finished off, Naruto completely ignored Yamato and had been pinky swearing that he and Hinata would be the "BEST" team in Konoha, ready to save the world in case the moon came crashing into the earth or something.

Yamato's voice was dead and empty as he reported this to Kakashi. He only felt a little bit bad about it. His plan was working. His plan was working.

Sort of. It was all well and good for them to team up against a giant octopus and come up with a great combo attack. It was touching and honestly cute, how Hinata didn't think that Naruto was hideous, how she rubbed cream on his face, and how both of them enjoyed pinky swearing like they were still in the Academy.

But...but there needed to be more than that! They...they needed –

His eyes landed on the teapot on his desk.

***

It was an accident. No one could ever prove that it wasn't an accident.

So his hand may have just...slipped while it was grasping a teapot. And maybe the teapot flew in an implausible arc towards Naruto, who was just innocently hanging out at Hokage Tower, because Kakashi had summoned both him and Hinata.

"Oops," he said, in what was a completely remorseful tone of voice. It wasn't like he did it on purpose.

"Naruto-kun, look out!"

And before he could even blink, a dark blur collided with Naruto, pushing him out of the way, saving him from decapitation by teapot. Said teapot hit the wall and exploded in a scalding dark rain all over his carpet. Tonton raced over to the scene and eagerly began cleaning up the mess, ensuring that no drop would be wasted. That pig sure loved green tea.

Kakashi didn't care.

He held his breath, eyes sparkling as Naruto and Hinata adjusted to their new position on the floor. Hinata stared directly into Naruto's face, his eyes like the summer sky and hers like the ocean spray. Kakashi would have thought that at least one of them would blush at the close contact, before bolting up and pretending that the whole situation had never happened. Then they would make excuses, both going home and thinking about the moment for hours...days...hopefully soon, really soon, they would realize...

Unbidden, his mind came to the last few lines of Icha Icha Violence.

Nothing made sense to him. Until that moment. It didn't click, the reason she looked away when he looked at her. Why she covered her smile in her sleeve. Why she didn't want him to disappear. Why she wasn't afraid to die, if it meant she could protect him.

Now ki –

Hinata abruptly got off Naruto, uncharacteristically frowning at Kakashi, Naruto following suit.

"That was mean, Kakashi-sensei," she said, not...coldly or anything, but definitely not as pleasant as she usually was. "Naruto-kun could have been hurt by your prank."

"Yeah!"

"Now, now," Kakashi said mildly, raising his hands. "It was an accident, Hinata. I would never want to hurt my cute little students."

She gave him a deeply skeptical look. He moved into crisis management mode.

"Anyway, I have a mission for you two! As you know, there have been death threats made against Naruto – "

"There have?" Naruto asked.

"So we need to find out who's been sending the threats – "

"Wait, WAIT. Kakashi-sensei, when did I start getting death th – "

"But in the meantime, we need to find you a bodyguard while we figure out who's been sending the threats – "

"That makes no sense – "

"And Hinata would be a great choice for this mission!" Kakashi finished, powering through each and every interruption with a sparkling eye-smile. "As your bodyguard, she would need to be with you for every second of every day – "

"Wait, every second? But what about when we need to go to the bathr – "

"It's for the good of the village, the good of your team, the good of her team, the good of her clan, the good of your clan, the good of the world – "

"This is SUCH bullshit, Kakashi-sensei – "

"Your well-being is paramount, and I'm sure that Hinata would agree. Right, Hinata?" He turned to beam at her, and wasn't at all surprised when she nodded firmly.

"Right, Kakashi-sensei."

She always took Naruto seriously.

It was a good trait, honestly. Kakashi would not have approved any random person being Naruto's companion.

His cute little student only deserved someone who took him seriously. Someone who had always been there for him. Someone who would face Pain for him. Someone who would face death for him. Someone who would glow like the sun rays at spending time with him, someone who would push him out of the way and then tell off the Hokage himself for a prank that could have harmed him.

Likewise, Hinata only deserved someone who always believed in her, someone who had always rooted for her. Someone who would face death for her. Someone who would glow like the sun rays at spending time with her, someone who would face the end of the world for her.

Hinata had never been assigned to Kakashi's genin team, yet he knew, somewhere in his bones, that if Iruka-sensei had made a paperwork error –

He knew that Hinata would have passed the bell test too.

***

There were, actually, no death threats made against Naruto. Well, none that Kakashi ever had to take seriously. But it was one of the major storylines in Icha Icha Violence, how the young, beautiful noblewoman needed a bodyguard to protect against enemy ninja who wanted to destroy her, and maybe in the process, she and the bodyguard spent a lot of time together, eating their favorite foods and drinking soda through a shared straw and then they had a moment in front of the moon and that was Kakashi's favorite, FAVORITE part of Icha Icha Violence, that moment when Wakame and –

"HOKAGE-SAMA!" someone yelled, sprinting into his office again. "HELP! THERE'S BEEN A HUGE ACCIDENT WITH NARUTO-SAN AND HINATA-SAN! THERE WAS THIS MASSIVE FIGHT AND NOW – "

Now!

He bounded across the room in a move that would've once again done Guy proud and ran off with his screaming messenger, crossing his fingers.

He had been under the impression that there were no death threats made against Naruto that he needed to take seriously.

He was right.

He couldn't help but be pleased at the giant, smoking crater in the outskirts of the village, the knocked-out missing-nin in some far-flung corner of the battleground, and the blue chakra sparking from Hinata's arms, her pop-out veins and ghostly white eyes looking rather terrifying.

Naruto was kneeling on the ground, looking somewhat scuffed-up but otherwise unharmed.

And...Kakashi almost giggled in delight again.

Naruto was staring, staring at Hinata with wide, blown-out pupils, like a cat's eyes in the dark. Lips parted slightly like he was thunderstruck. Lost for words where he was usually a motormouth.

It was that look. That one look he'd always had whenever this young lady did something incredible.

That look that made him start thinking that maybe they'd be a good pair.

Hinata turned around, finally spotting Kakashi. Her veins receded.

"Ah, sensei!" She bowed deeply. "Thank you for entrusting Naruto-kun's well-being to me. I hope you'll find that he's in good hands."

Kakashi's chest seized up as he realized that it was just like the scene in Icha Icha Violence when Wakame asked the father of the bride for his blessing.

He didn't have Obito's Sharingan anymore –

But his eyes were still has good as ever.

***

He started getting a bit more creative with the missions after that. It was the best way that he could give the soon-to-be pair his blessing. Well, at least until it was time for wedding planning.

Making them retrieve a special medicinal herb that Sakura definitely didn't need. The herb was located in the Land of Volcanoes in a volcanic town that had a volcano which coincidentally had fertile volcanic soil in which incredible volcanic medicinal herbs just happened to be growing.

He wasn't that worried. Naruto was the most powerful ninja on the planet. And besides, he hadn't forgetten Kaguya and her volcano dimension, so it wasn't like Naruto didn't have experience with this kind of thing.

In Icha Icha Violence, there was a furious volcanic eruption that darkened the sky and brought about a year of winter, and obviously when it was winter, people preferred to stay indoors and huddle together to warm up, and his number one preferred coupling also huddled together indoors for warmth, and – okay, he was getting ahead of himself.

The mission worked...sort of. Except that it was super hot inside the volcano, not super cold. And Naruto, unable to bear the searing heat, had apparently decided to take off his shirt completely out of the blue, catching Hinata off-guard. And apparently she had suddenly developed a mysterious fever and Naruto had decided to use the some of the medicinal herb they'd just found to cure her. When they both got back, his foolish little student just wouldn't stop asking him why that was, and whether he ought to take Hinata to the hospital, "'cuz she was really burning up."

Then there was the time when he sent them out to check out a haunted bath house (Naruto had screamed and clung to Hinata like a koala, according to Team 8).

And then there was that other time when – he winced. The village would never recover from that day with the demon squirrels and Teuchi-san's rolling pin. That one had been a mistake.

Kakashi was supposed to be doing paperwork. But he turned to the final few pages of Icha Icha Violence again, allowing himself to be lost in daydreams.

Wakame blinked at her. She blinked back, eyes shining like the sea at sunset. She'd always been there for him, looking at him (he noticed...sometimes). Looking for him (he didn't notice that...ever). Looking out for him (she did that, a few times, times when he never expected her to, and it was like an earthquake knocking him off his feet). Believing in him when no one else did.

He just didn't realize it. Until now. Because he was the stupidest ninja Tree Branch Village had ever nurtured.

Nothing made sense to him. Until that moment. It didn't click, the reason she looked away when he looked at her. Why she covered her smile in her sleeve. Why she didn't want him to disappear. Why she wasn't afraid to die, if it meant she could protect him.

Because.

She.

Loved.

Him.

They were really similar to this one couple in Icha Icha Violence.

Icha Icha Violence had a happy ending. People always thought he loved Icha Icha because of the extremely, extremely graphic scenes, but that wasn't the reason. Well, not the main reason.

Maybe...maybe he just wanted Naruto and Hinata to have a happy ending. It would be just and fair, for them to have one.

They were close, so close, that they just needed a little time, just a little. These things didn't happen in a day. No, they required years of watching and waiting and hoping and mining Icha Icha for ever more scenarios to enact in the real world.

But they were far, so far, and he'd put them on (count them up) thirty-two D-ranks, fifteen B-ranks, and ten A-ranks together, and they still weren't a pair. Yet.

"Kakashi-sensei?" asked a familar voice. "Oh, I mean, Hok – "

"No, no, please don't call me Hokage-sama!" he said desperately. "Everyone calls me Hokage-sama. You don't have to do that too, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka blinked at him skeptically, arms laden with cardboard boxes.

"Anyway, Hokage-sama – "

"Kakashi-sensei – "

"This is all paperwork related to the Academy's new library being opened, and I'd really appreciate it if you looked into it."

"Of course, sensei."

Iruka set the boxes on Kakashi's desk, frowning thoughtfully. "You look worried, Hokage-sama."

"Kakashi-sensei."

"What's the problem?"

Kakashi groaned, hiding his face in slender, gloved fingers.

"It's Naruto."

Iruka's eyes flashed in alarm.

"He's not in any danger!" Kakashi said hurriedly. "He's...just..."

"Is this about him and Hinata?" Iruka asked dryly.

"How did you – "

"He told me everything during our weekly lunches at Ichiraku. Saying that 'Kakashi-sensei keeps sending me on bullshit missions, ya know, but since it's HINATA, I don't really mind.'" Naruto's first teacher sighed. "Did you really think that sending them to the Land of Volcanoes together would work? Or making them fight sea monsters, or whatever – "

"Sensei," Kakashi complained. "Those things all happened in Icha Icha Violence. The main character got together with his one true love in those ways."

Iruka raised an eyebrow.

"Kakashi-sensei."

The Hokage blinked. Iruka had finally said his name.

His voice was calm, every bit a patient schoolteacher.

"You of all people should know that Naruto writes his own story. No one can predict him, not even me." Iruka smiled, a long-buried memory rising to the front of his mind and crinkling up his eyes in a smile. "I wouldn't be surprised if it takes the end of the world and the moon crashing into the earth for him to declare that he wants to be with Hinata."

Kakashi's heart warmed, and then his eyes crinkled into a smile of their own.

"You really are a great teacher, aren't you, Iruka-sensei?" he said cheerfully. "Well, if you say so. I suppose I'll just leave it to Naruto to show me how his story will unfold."

***

The moon had been so big and bright lately. Getting closer, closer, ever closer to the earth, raining chunks of rock and heating up the dark night sky.

Usually, when the moon came out, it was the perfect time to go on walks and admire the cold, pale light casting everything in a silver glow. The perfect time to hold hands, and maybe hide in bushes where no one could see. If this were any other time, any other mission, Kakashi would have been beside himself at the irony.

But the moon was too big, too bright, far too close to the earth, those meteor showers putting the world in real, tangible danger.

He glanced at the clock in his palm.

Please make it on time.

They needed to work together, just as they had on that cat-catching mission some time ago.

He liked to think that maybe, just maybe, there would be some sort of new combo. One that his cute little student could invent alongside Hinata. Something that could save the world if the moon were to come crashing into the earth.

Maybe that wouldn't actually happen, but Tsunade-sama always did say that no one should ever bet against Naruto.

Maybe this time, his plan would work.

He had a hunch.

[lemony-snickers]

dear @swinginmakerbonkplaid - i hope your week gets better. <3

The market is busy. Saturdays are always the worst days for shopping, but Yamato had no choice this week.

So here he is, flustered and irritable in the middle of a bustling crowd of civlians and shinobi, families and couples, wishing more than anything that he could transport himself to the middle of the forest away from every human being in existence.

"Yo, Tenzo."

Great. Just what he needs.

Yamato turns, doing his best to hide a grimace as he says, "Good morning, Kakashi-senpai. I think you mean Yamato."

Kakashi glances up at him over the pages of Icha Icha Violence and says, "No," before returning his attention to his book.

Yamato closes his eyes, takes a long, slow breath through his nose. "Well, if that's all, I'm afraid I have errands to run. I'll see you at training tomorrow."

With that, he stalks off toward the vegetable stand. Or at least, he tries to. But the firm press of bodies is everywhere, and apparently no one actually comes to the market to shop since everyone appears to just be standing around, primarily directly in Yamato's way.

"Crowded today."

Yamato jerks his head to the side to glare at Kakashi, who has apparently decided to plaster himself to Yamato's flank, despite giving no indication that he is also stuck in this hellscape for the purposes of shopping.

"Can I help you?" he asks, raising an irate and semi-skeptical eyebrow.

Kakashi just shrugs, turning the page of his book with his thumb. Yamato rolls his eyes, too overwhelmed by the crowds and the noise and the heat and the scrape of his clothes against his neck when he's jostled and the high-pitched ringing in his ears and the weight of the happuri on his temples and his heart feels like it's getting too big and maybe he should just go home because he's pretty sure--

Where the hell...?

Yamato turns around, finding himself no longer in the supremely overcrowded market at the center of Konoha, but some strange half-abandoned street he's never seen before.

"Where did I--"

"There's a store over there that will have everything you need."

Kakashi points to a non-descript building, eyes still fixed on his book. Yamato shakes his head.

"Did you..."?

Kakashi nods before Yamato can finish his question and as irritated as he is at being subjected to a transportation jutsu without any warning, he can't deny that he's more grateful at no longer being stuck in the middle of an unruly throng of bodies.

He takes a deep breath while he waits for his heart rate to return to normal, for his hands to stop trembling. "Thank you, Senpai," he says, before stepping into the store.

Kakashi doesn't answer.

The shop is small, and barely lit, but Kakashi was right, it's well-stocked with produce and fish, even if it doesn't have everything Yamato would have been able to find at the larger market.

He takes his time perusing the shelves, mentally calculating all the things he will need to prepare his meals for the coming week.

As he pays for his purchase, Yamato is sure to thank the clerk and makes a mental note to come back next time he needs to shop on a weekend. When he steps outside, he is surprised to find Kakashi still there, standing in the middle of the street, reading.

"Kakashi-senpai, what is up with you today?" he asks, genuinely confused by the other man's stranger-than-usual behavior.

"Nothing, Tenzo. Why would anything be up?"

Yamato doesn't correct him, opting instead to begin the short trek back to his apartment, and somehow expecting it when Kakashi falls into step beside him.

As they approach the market again, Yamato feels his anxiety return. He knows he can go around, take the long way back to his apartment. But more than that, Yamato knows this should not bother him.

He feels Kakashi move closer as they approach the more crowded parts of Konoha, and Yamato is not sure whether its for his own benefit or his Kouhai's. Either way, Yamato is grateful. The breadth of two shinobi opens slightly more room in the crowd for them to move, and it lessens the sensation of claustrophobia that overwhelmed him earlier.

Yamato has never done well with tight spaces, a fact which he knows about himself and understands the reasoning behind. Still, it's frustrating that such a simple thing can make him so upset when he has spent his life as a highly-skilled shinobi.

He hears the snap of Kakashi's book closing, but before Yamato can throw him another skeptical look, he's taken by surprise when he feels Kakashi's hand close around his wrist.

Yamato looks down, blinks a few times to assure himself that what he's feeling is really happening, and it is.

Kakashi Hatake's pale fingers circle his wrist, pulling him along behind him through the crowd like a child.

Yamato hates that it makes his stomach feel jumbled and light, that he can feel a blush prickling along the skin of his neck to tickle his cheeks.

"S-Senpai," he hisses, but Kakashi ignores him, just continues to plow ahead through the crowd with one hand holding onto Yamato and the other shoved into his pocket.

Even when they're out of the worst of the crowds, Kakashi doesn't let go until they reach Tenzo's apartment complex where he stops at the front door, but still doesn't say anything.

Yamato, flustered and confused but also inexplicably happy for reasons he is not quite sure he understands in full, clears his throat. "Do you... want to come in? I could make us dinner."

Kakashi gives him that exagerated one-eyed smile and says, "Sure," as if he doesn't still have his fingers wrapped around Yamato's wrist.

When Yamato looks down, Kakashi jumps, as if only just remembering the contact. He loosens his grip to pull away, but before he can, Yamato tangles their fingers together in a panicked rush, suddenly terrified.

"Oh," Kakashi says when their hands knot together, though he doesn't sound all that surprised.

Yamato's palm is slick with sweat, clammy from his nervousness and confusion.

"I-is this okay?" he asks, staring pointedly at Kakashi's chin because he's not ready to make eye contact.

When he doesn't receive an immediate answer, Yamato tries to untangle their hands, but Kakashi's grip tightens.

He chuckles and for a moment, Yamato is sure he's about to make fun of him for wanting to hold hands. Instead, though, he says, "Yes, Tenzo, it's more than okay."

He guls, still unable to make eye contact, so Yamato simply turns to enter his building, tugging Kakashi along with him as he mutters, "It's Yamato."

Whatever his name is, he supposes, doesn't matter nearly as much as how nice it feels to hold Kakashi's hand as they make their way up the stairs to his apartment.

[kakairu-rocks]

Hey guys! We are excited to announce that the masterpost for KakaIru Valentine’s Week 2023 is ready to share!

But before we show you the list, we want to thank everyone who participated in the event. All your creations were amazing, and we were excited to see each and every one of them! 

Here are this year’s stats:

Total number of creations: 33

Fics: 21

Art: 12

- Total word count: 99 939 words

- There were four comics created, and six fics written in a different language!

- Most inspiring prompt: Pick Up Lines 

- Least inspiring prompts: Icha-Icha, Fake Relationship, Romance For Dummies

Once again, thank you all so much for contributing, and helping keep the kakairu love alive!

And now, here is the list of wonderful creations! Please indulge to your heart’s content!

DAY 1 - 8TH FEB

RED STRING OF FATE

1. Lovely art by @animetrashmuffin​

2. Sweet art by @virtualcarrot​

3. Red String of Fate, an angsty fic by @hairybeardtongue

Rating: Teen, CW: mentions of blood & injuries, Word count: 965

4. As luvas que escondem, o inevitável, a wonderful fic written in Portuguese by @bansheeangel​

Rating: Gen, CW: None, Word count: 10k

--

FIRSTS

1. Rescue, an exciting fic by @kakairu-shrine​

Rating: Mature, CW: Graphic depictions of violence, Word count: 9.3k

2. Firsts, a wonderful fic by @dilly-oh​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 1.7k

-----

DAY 2 - 9TH FEB

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS

1. Turn, a brilliant fic by @hairybeardtongue

Rating: Teen, CW: referenced loss, grief, and trauma, Word count: 1.4k

2. Antes de saber o que era amor, te amei!, a cute fic written in Portuguese by @bansheeangel​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word Count: 14.7k

--

MEET THE FAMILY

1. Entertaining comic by @dilly-oh​

2. Chaotic art by @animetrashmuffin​

3. The Uminos, a sweet fic by @kakairu-shrine​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 8.6k

-----

DAY 3 - 10TH FEB

WEDDINGS

1. Cute art by @animetrashmuffin​

2. Innocent Request, a fic by @hairybeardtongue

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 1.5k

--

KISSING BOOTH

1. The Kissing Booth, a cute fic by @kakairu-shrine​

Rating: teen, CW: None, Word count: 1.2k

2. Barraca do Beijo Doce, a lovely fic written in Portuguese by @bansheeangel​

Rating: Explicit, CW: None, Word count: 6.3k

-----

DAY 4 - 11TH FEB

SPEED DATING

1. Amazing comic by @animetrashmuffin​

2. Hilarious art by @dilly-oh​

3. Speed Dating, a wonderful fic written in Portuguese by @bansheeangel​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 6k

--

ICHA-ICHA

1. Icha-Icha, a cute fic by @kakairu-shrine​

Rating: Mature, CW: None, Word count: 2.1k

-----

DAY 5 - 12TH FEB

TRUE LOVE

1. Sweet art by @animetrashmuffin​

2. As marcas do nosso amor, a lovely fic written in Portuguese by @bansheeangel​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 3.1k

--

FAKE RELATIONSHIP

1. Boyfriends, a hot fic by @kakairu-shrine​

Rating: Explicit, CW: None, Word count: 8.2k

-----

DAY 6 - 13TH FEB

PICK UP LINES

1. Cute art by @animetrashmuffin​

2. Amusing comic by @rocketpunchhh​

3. Pick Up Lines, an amazing fic by @dilly-oh​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 1.1k

4. Bar Fly, a great fic by @hairybeardtongue

Rating: Explicit, CW: None, Word count: 1.1k

5. Guia de conquista, por Kakashi Hatake, a lovely fic written in Portuguese by @bansheeangel​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 3.9k

--

#RELATIONSHIPGOALS

1. #Relationship Goals, a wonderful fic by @dilly-oh​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 1.1k

2. Nothing, an angsty fic by @hairybeardtongue

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 1k

-----

DAY 7 - 14TH FEB

ROMANCE FOR DUMMIES

1. Amazing art by @animetrashmuffin​

--

VALENTINE’S DAY

1. Hilarious comic by @dilly-oh​

2. It’s Valentine’s Day?!, a cute fic by @kakairu-shrine​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 3.6k

--

MULTIPLE PROMPTS

1. KakaIru Valentine’s Week 2023, a wonderful fic by @hkandiu​

Rating: Teen, CW: None, Word count: 12.1k

If we have missed you, or made a mistake somewhere, please let us know ASAP so we can fix the problem!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated, and to everyone who has supported us! Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to run Valentine’s Week, so we really appreciate your involvement 🥰

If you still need more KakaIru after this, come and check out the Kakairu Rocks forum, where we have plenty more for you to see & do!

We hope to see you around!

[kaguyasconception]

Pre-Boruto Konohagakure Central Locations

1. Ninja Academy:

Used heavily for both military and domestic affairs, established by the Nidaime Hokage, Tobirama Senju. It has been expanded many times to reach its current size, and the curriculum changed with new generations. It is found at the base of the Hokage mountain, this building also contains the administrative division where the Hokage office is located.

The jōnin station is near here, and as the heart of the villages power, they congregate at this location when not on duty to wait on the Hokage’s order, or in case of an emergency. On top of the building is the terrace where Team 7 first told Kakashi, and each other, their dreams for the future. The Hokage mountain can be viewed from this spot, which during emergencies, residents of Konoha can assemble at it.

2. Hokage Residence:

Passed down from the Shodai Hokage, Hashirama Senju, this mansion is the residence of the current village leader. Its located near the academy and Hokage mountain, making it an ideal location.

The building contains many forbidden and dangerous scrolls, juts, and other top secret information, making it a highly sought after place for intruders, even before taking into account that the Hokage also lives there.

3. Konoha Hospital:

The Konoha hospital contains both civilian doctors and medical-nin. Although most of the staff are skilled enough for basic treatment, special cases and certain emergencies mean that the higher skilled medics are required. Research in medicine and jutsu development occurs here.

4. Movie Theatre:

Located on one of the largest roads in Konoha, the cinema is a popular site for adults. This may be due to the influx of Make-Out (Icha Icha) fans, as these R-rated screenings are often sold out for days. Young people do also frequent the cinema, with Princess Gale movies becoming well liked. Tickets for admission to the Make-Out (Icha Icha) viewing are around 180ryo per person.

At the bookstore, the Make-out Paradise volume 1-3 and Make-Out Violence books are sold at 120ryo each, the price of Make-Out Innocence and Make-Out Tactics is unknown, but thought to be similarly priced.

5. Yamanaka Flowers:

This is a flower shop run by the Yamanaka clan, like an invitation to the land of dreams, the shop is filled with beautiful colours and scents. It was opened during the time of the Shodai Hokage, meaning its been ran for over 60 years.

6. Naruto’s Neighbourhood:

Near the academy, always bustling with people. It contains many old shops.

7. Ichiraku Ramen:

A favoured ramen shop within Konoha, founded 34 years before Shippuden by Teuchi, and ran alongside his daughter. Its popular amongst the old and young, famous for their strong commitment to taste and the tonkotsu they serve.

8. Konoha Tea Avenue:

A row of tea and sweet shops with a great view of the Hokage mountain. A famous shop here is the Amaguriama sweet shop, known for its kuriyoukan (chestnuts and sweet bean jelly), and their kuri zenzai (chestnuts and red bean paste soup). It also contains the Dango shop Team 10 visit.

9. Shushu-ya:

A Chinese restaurant selling huge plates of food and their own brand of sake.

10. Reservoir:

A reservoir within Konoha, and a frequent waiting spot for Team 7.

11. Naruto’s Place:

Naruto’s apartment consisted of an open plan kitchen and bedroom, a bathroom (11), a toilet (10), and a small training room covered with no windows. As shown in the below illustration the main room has the entrance to the apartment (1), shelves for shoes (2), a box of ramen (3), a sink to wash dishes (4), cupboards (5), Naruto’s old goggles on a shelf above his bed (6), an under bed storage area (7) and a mirror (8). The training room has a mini (and exhausted) Kakashi plush (9). Naruto is very fond of plants, as can be seen by his collection. His bedroom window is east facing, so the room gets plenty of natural light.

Honourable Mentions

Konoha Hot Springs:

Dozens of hot springs to help shinobi relax, or even train. The hot springs are divided by gender.

Yakiniku Q:

This is a Korean restaurant within Konoha, shinobi teams frequent the place after missions or in times of celebration. Their most popular dish is salted beef tongue with welsh onion.

Hokage Rock:

Symbol of the village, with each Hokage’s faced carved into it. During emergencies everyone assembles here.

Kikyo Castle:

Castle near the village borders, site of where Gaara killed Dosu Kinuta, and near where Baki and Hayate Gekko fought.

Practice Grounds:

Used for shinobi training and skirmishes, more than fifty training grounds available with different sizes and layouts.

[konohagakurekakashi]

Continued from here

"...And nothing, I was merely looking out for our reverend Godaime's best interest. Shinobi are terrible gossips."

He snapped volume three of Icha Icha violence shut with a practiced flick of his fingers, before easing the little book into his back pocket. There was no use pretending to read when he had company mirroring his steps. Despite his earlier words, it did not seem like the crowds paid them any mind. Perhaps shocked by the kage's sudden appearances out in the wild, or too caught up in getting to the nearest Izakaya in time for happy hour.

The Jōnin supposed the latter was the most likely, as the angle of the sun suggested a rotation in shifts.

Kakashi cocked his head, lidded stare fully expecting to settle on a Tanuki masked Anbu crouched low in the shadow of a melon cart, or balanced precariously on an overhanging powerline, ennui leeching off of him in waves; but the crowds about them were free of porcelain, no annoyed chakra flickers except for a pair of Chūnin arguing over a recollection of past events.

With a change in shifts all but confirmed, Kakashi hummed underneath his breath, free hand reaching for the slowly swaying Noren flaps blocking the entrace to the yakiniku grill.

"...Then again...Houdini acts seem to be more your thing...lending out an ear to the Konoha grapevine, is an elder passtime. After you, Tsunade-sama."

@senjutsunade

[summersirius]

fantasy|shisaku—part five

✦ rating: m

✦ summary: Political espionage aside, the general constitutes of marriage require less affection and more exceptional communication between both parties, though Sakura wonders which one she values more.

or

(when an arranged marriage is brokered between sakura and shisui in an attempt to thwart a civil war, they unintentionally trigger a series of international conflicts instead—the course of true love never did run that smoothly, especially under nefarious circumstances).

✧ read part four on ao3

Sakura's eyebrow twitches.

Kakashi sits in his chair of: I'm too tired to care about your problems so I'm going to sit here and read my porn in peace and narrows his one eye at the two of them with Pakkun sitting on his lap with a flat and indifferent expression. Well, as flat and indifferent a pug could be. His fingerless gloves tap the wood of his desk rhythmically as he processes Sakura's announcement.

"So, you come to me, on my day off," Kakashi starts off dramatically – which is fairly irritating because Sakura knows that paragraph is the prologue of Icha Icha Violence sans the violent crime syndicate spiel – and swivels in his chair while Pakkun yawns, "To tell me that you are going to marry my beloved student. My favorite student. The only student that doesn't raise my blood pressure, cause any unjust forms of heart palpitations, and dotes on me like I am her favorite."

Shisui raises a brow – a quirk that he picked up from Sakura, Kakashi realizes in mild horror – and drawls out, "I'm fairly certain that Tsunade-sama is her favorite, Kakashi-senpai."

Kakashi ignores him pointedly and continues his monologue, "You have come to ask for my blessing when I was not aware of such a grave decision nor was, I involved in the process of this audacious proposal. I must decline, most ardently."